AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed grief over the demise of Mallu Swarajyam, Telangana freedom fighter and activist who waged many a battle on social and political issues. She died at a private hospital here on Saturday at the age of 93. Swarajyam was admitted to the hospital on March 1 with pneumonia and breathed her last at 8 PM on Saturday, hospital sources said.

The Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members and said she was one of the few old timers who worked with discipline and values adhering to her ideology.

Mallu Swarajyam profile

Born in 1931 in present-day Suryapet district of Telangana, Swarajyam began working against social evils of the day after being inspired by Maxim Gorky's novel 'Mother' at the tender age of 10, CPI(M) said.

Born in a landlord family, she was inspired by her brother Bheemreddy Narasimha Reddy and the programmes of Andhra Mahila Sabha, a reputed charitable organisation, to work for the masses.

As per a call given by the Andhra Mahila Sabha, she had distributed rice to people belonging to different communities in a village in 1941.

Defying social customs, she had worked for the welfare of under-privileged sections. She participated in the Armed Struggle from 1945 to 1948. She had mobilised people against the atrocities of Razakars, an armed group that supported the Nizam rule. The then Nizam government had announced a reward of RS 10,000 on Swarajyam's head.

She stood with CPI(M) after the split of the Communist party in the country and had represented CPI(M) in undivided Andhra Pradesh Assembly in 1978 and 1983. Her husband Mallu Venkata Narasimha Reddy, who was also a CPI(M) leader, pre-deceased her.She is survived by two sons and a daughter.

Swarajyam's mortal remains would be kept at MB Bhavan, the CPI(M) headquarters here, on Sunday morning to enable people to pay their last respects and the body would later be donated to a medical college at Nalgonda, CPI (M) sources said.

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